William Richard "Billy" Smith

William Richard Smith passed away peacefully on July 23, 2023, in Gulfport, Mississippi. Born on November 11, 1970, in Charleston, West Virginia, Billy was a loving, handy, and intelligent man who left a lasting impact on everyone he met. Billy spent his childhood in Perkinston, MS, where he developed a love for tinkering and rebuilding. Whether it was a toy, a gadget, or a car, Billy was always eager to take it apart and make it better. He was self-taught in electronics and enjoyed playing computer games with his father. His ability for understanding how things worked earned him the reputation of being a jack of all trades. Though he was known to start many projects, the completion of them was not always guaranteed. However, this never deterred him from diving into the next exciting endeavor. Billy was a homebody, a loving husband, a doting father, and a handyman extraordinaire. He was the kind of guy who would help anyone in need. His love extended to his pit bull, Missy, who was his sweet girl. He was known as Billy to most, William to his wife, and a legend to all who knew him. Billy, we’ll miss your laughter, your love, and your knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Billy was preceded in death by his mother, Francis Marlene Hickman, and his maternal grandparents, Leona and Clayton Birchfield, as well as his paternal grandparents, Angie and I.D. Hickman. He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Janet Smith, and their children, Nick, John, Kyle, Marcia, Johnathan (Courtney), and Kelly. He also leaves behind his father, Bruce E. Hickman, and seven siblings, Tracie (Honer) Delancey, Lisa Smith and family, Jeremy Smith and family, Hope Mullins, Brandon Hickman, Melody (Casey) Anderson and family, and his beloved Kali (Andrew) Henske. Billy was a proud grandfather to Hayley, Faith, Natalie, Abagail, and Emily. His extended family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins will miss him dearly. The family is holding a Celebration of Life on August 5, 2023, at 12:00PM at 845 City Rd Perkinston, MS. Trinity Funeral Services is honored to serve the Smith Family and ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers during these difficult times.